Paddle-wheel



(No Model.)

0. P. THRESHER.

PADDLE WHEEL.

Patented Apr. 3, 1883.

(0% WfVfQiZZ A6607); eys

UNITED STATES, PATENT OrFrcE.

CLARENCE P. THRESHER, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA.

PADDLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,291, dated April 3, 1883.

Application filed August 26, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE P.THREsHER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Winona, in'the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Paddle- Wheels and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of my invention, and Fig.2 is an edge iew of the same.

This invention has relation to feathering paddle-wheels; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the concavo-convex horizontally-extended cam-guide, the wheelframe and its hubs, the paddles pivoted thereto, and having inner extensions or ears connected each to the next in succession bychains of equal length, and inwardly'extended arms provided with anti-friction rollers to engage said cam-guide, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter G indicates the circular portion of the wheel frame,-aud F F the radial portions or arms extending from the central part, M, which is connected to the main shaft S. The wheelframe is provided with peripheral hubs H, in which are pivoted thejournalends of the shafts a of the paddles A, the latter being rigidly secured to said shafts. Each blade or paddle is provided with an inward projection or ear, I, and all these ears or projections are connected each to the next in succession bychains of equal length, as indicated at C. The shaft a. of each blade or paddle A is provided with an arm, D, which extends from the end of said shaft inwardly in the direction of the plane of the paddle and parallel to the side thereof. The end of this arm is provided with an antifriction roller, R, which engages and moves in a cam guide or groove, B, which is secured in fixed position alongside the wheel. The camgroove B is horizontally extended, circular and convex downward in its lower branch,and flattened in concave form in its upper branch, these branches being vertically about equidistant from the wheel-shaft S, and being connected by end curves at B. The middle portions of the upper and lower branches of the cam-groove lie near the center of the wheel, while its end curves extend beyond the perimeter thereof. The effect of this construction is to hold the lower blades, when the wheel is turned, in vertical position, raising them out of the water in this position, and then turning them over into vertical position to enter the water again.

A paddle-wheel provided with couplingchains between each pair of the paddles, and a friction-roller on an arm of each paddle of the wheel, combined with a stationary guidebearing for the friction-rollers on the side of the vessel, is not broadly new; but in the instance referred to the guide-bearing is made nearly in the form of a circular disk, the edge of which is the bearing-plane for the frictionrollers, the upper part of the face being depressed by a short contrary curve, which serves to turn the paddles and gradually approach the vertical position required before reaching the water. In my case the concavo-convex cam-guide B is horizontally extended, as at B B, while in the reference the guidebearing is nearly in the shape of a circular disk, the upper part. of which is provided with a short curved or hrs-shaped depression. The construction is plainly different, and the principle cannot be and is not claimed.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

In a feathering paddle-wheel, the combinanation of the concave-convex horizontally-extended cam-guide B, having its branches B B extended beyond theperimeterof the wheel, having the circular portion G, and the radial arms F, extending from the hub M on the shaft S, the paddles A, rigidly secured to the shafts a, journaled in the peripheral hubs H, the ears I, secured to one end of each shaft a, and successively connected by chains 0 of equal length, the arms D, secured to the shafts a upon the sides of the paddles opposite the ears I, and provided with friction-rollers R at their inner ends, engaging the groove in said camguide B, which is secured in fixed position alongside the wheel, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE P. THRESHER.

Witnesses:

F. M. DEAN, J. N. MAYBURY. 

